It has previously been proposed to couple drive shafts and stub shafts of cylinders of a printing machine by clamping elements which include two separable parts, typically half-shells, separated by radially extending separating or break lines. The separable half shells can be clamped against each other and about the stub shaft. By removing one half shell, the stub shaft and the cylinder thereon can be removed from the printing machine, the other half-shell remaining secured to the drive shaft portion.
Printing machines having this type of coupling are in public uss, and sold by the assignee of the present application under the trade name "FLEXOMAN". The half-shell separating plane extends radially. To permit the cylinder clamped between the half-shells to be removed from the printing machine, a cylindrical extension is provided between the stub shaft and the cylinder jacket, having a diameter greater than the diameter of the stub shaft. A run-off rail is placed beneath the cylindrical projections in order to permit the cylinder to be rolled out from its position in the printing machine after the half-shell has been removed from the drive shaft. Such removal may be necessary for cleaning, reconditioning of the surface of the cylinder, or the like.
The cylindrical attachment or extension, which is necessary to permit roll-out of the cylinder on the roll-out rails, so that the cylindrical surface is not damaged thereby, requires additional space between the side walls of the printing machine.